Nearly 6,000 donated bras from an annual fundraiser in Peterborough are destined for northern Ontario First Nation communities.
On the weekend, volunteers gathered to sort through thousands of bras which were donated during the annual “Bras Around the Building” fundraiser in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.
Hosted by several radio stations, the event collects bras which are hung on a building. Last October, more than 5,900 bras and $11,900 were donated.
Recently, the Canadian Cancer Society reached out to Laurie Siblock, who over the past few years organized a warm winter drive for northern First Nation communities, to see if there was interest in the bras heading north.
Siblock says the interest was overwhelming.
“Most women know the value of a good bra,” she said. “Every community we spoke with said the idea was well-received.”
Dubbed “The Northern Bra Migration Project,” the bras will be sent to 15 remote First Nation communities.
The project is the partnership between Lang Pioneer Village, Fleming College, the Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group and a Toronto Rotary group called Honouring Indigenous Peoples which is helping to cover the costs and logistics of shipping to many of the fly-in-only communities.
“Goods are very expensive in the north because of the cost of shipping,” said Siblock. “You could practically double or triple the cost of a bra in the north.”
Volunteers spent Saturday sorting and boxing up the garments.
“We only want to send up bras that are in really good condition,” said Siblock. “So we are sorting through them all, making sure they are all in great working order and clean. We’re then sorting them into boxes based on type, size and other categories for each of the communities.”
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